The manufacturing processes currently existing for making turbine rotors produce finished products with relatively large tolerances. Quality control testing of these rotors, such as an air flow test conducted on a Fleming machine results in numerous parts being rejected for failure to fall within the desired or specified optimum air flow characteristics for the particular size and design of the rotor being manufactured. Currently, many of these nonconforming parts are scrapped or, in the alternative, are subjected to crude manual methods of adjustment in an attempt to correct the air flow characteristics of the noncomplying turbine rotors.
It has long been desired to provide an automated system for correcting the orientation of vanes on rotors to consistently produce optimum air flow characterstics; however, numerous problems have hindered the development of a cost effective, versatile, automated vane bending apparatus. In particular, it would be desirable to provide a method and apparatus for bending rotor vanes, which measures the orientation of each vane on a rotor for comparison to an optimum position; that calculates the amount of force and direction of force for bending, if necessary, to reach the desired optimum position, with respect to the material of the vane and the size and shape of the vane and the rotor; that automatically allows for spring-back of the material after the bending force has been released; that indicates when the rotor has a missing vane or the like; and that can be adapted to handle numerous different sizes and shapes of rotor vanes. The present invention provides for these desirable characteristics, features and advantages.